Life Through Ruby Quartz
by Just Another Tree Hugger
Summary: Scott doesn't really care for views. Jean/Scott.


**Just a little one-shot. Not my typical humorous style of writing. Just a little something I thought of while wearing sunglasses today.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own X-men Evolution. Marvel owns them. Sadly, that means Disney now owns them. I can only hope I don't see a trailer for the next X-men movie where Miley Cyrus plays Rogue.**

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Scott could recall one time when he was a boy. He had been four at the time and his family had been at the beach. The sun was irritating him and causing him to have a headache. His father gave him a pair of sunglasses that he wore all day. When it was near sunset and they were beginning to load up the car Scott took them off. He had to blink at how strange and surreal everything had become. Wearing those sunglasses for so long had completely altered his perception and everything was different, the sun was brighter, the sky was bluer and his skin had become tanner. Things were different behind sunglasses.

Things were even more different behind the ruby quartz shades he possessed. That's why he hated views. That's why he wasn't as stoked as everyone else as they came closer to finishing a long hike to the edge of the Grand Canyon. That's why his pace had slowed and the leader of the pack was now trailing far behind the rest of them. He didn't want to talk about it. Talking about it wouldn't give him control. Nothing would ever give him control. Just the glasses, the stupid glasses were the closest thing he'd ever get to control.

Ahead of him, he noticed Jean blink in confusion for a moment. Her head turned to her left and then to her right as if looking for something that wasn't there. Scott groaned, _'Come on Jeanie, don't notice. Please don't notice, I just want to be alone.' _He thought to himself. Unfortunately for him she turned around and immediately caught sight of him. Jean stopped walking and waited for Scott to catch up with her. _'Damn.'_ Scott internally sighed and faked a smile for the redhead.

"Hey Scott, what's going on? You're usually the only one with energy when it comes to outdoor exertions." Jean asked. Scott kept his gaze on the trail.

"I don't know… I'm just tired." He lied.

"Are you sure? I mean this whole trip you've been kind of down." Jean asked giving him another opportunity to vent.

"I'm okay, Jean." He said, "Just thinking about things."

Jean lightly smiled keeping her gaze on him even though he was completely focused on the trail ahead of him. She was about to try and engage him in another conversation but Kitty bubbled with excitement only ten feet in front of them.

"Guys! We're here!" she said ecstatically.

"Finally, I was beginning to think that hellish trail would never end." Rogue commented as she let out a deep breath of exhaustion. The mutants dropped the ten pound bags they were all carrying and collapsed on the canyons edge. The "oh's" and "ah's" were clearly audible as they all gaped over the beauty of the Grand Canyon. Scott merely let out a sigh and walked off farther away from his companions. His arms crossed guardedly and he closed his eyes in disappointment. He didn't even bother to stare at the striking landscape placed right in front of him.

After a few moments, Jean had noticed his absence again and she fluttered to his side once more. Scott merely stood there more compelled with the ground than the view. He didn't even bother hiding his disappointment this time.

"You know sometimes I wish I had better control of my telepathy." Jean said casually, "That way I might be able to see what's going on in here." she placed a finger on the side of Scott's head.

"You're lucky you have a chance to control your power." Scott sighed, "It's impossible for me to ever gain control of this stupid power."

"We've done the impossible before." Jean said reassuringly, "It's not completely hopeless."

"The professor says it's not likely." Scott said, "It's tough for me to accept that. I'm a bit of a control freak." He said with a grin, Jean reflected it.

"I hadn't noticed." She said the smile still remaining on her face, but it was soon replaced with a look of concern as she placed a hand on his shoulder, "What's wrong, Scott?"

Scott felt comfortable with Jean. In fact he trusted with his life.

"I just don't like being here." Scott admitted, "I don't like views."

"Why not?" Jean asked.

"It's these glasses, they ruin it for me. No matter what I see, it will never be exactly what you see." Scott said, "It's not like I wanna complain or anything. The lenses are better than living in complete blindness. It's just… I can't ever see things like everyone else. I mean colors are different for me. I can differentiate them but everything still has a shade of red. You don't see the same canyons that I do." Scott said with his head down. Jean looked at him and then she smiled.

"Close your eyes." said Jean.

"What?" Scott said lifting up his head to view her expression.

"Close your eyes Scott." Jean commanded lightly. Scott let out a small breath before obeying and letting his eyelids close and surrounding him in darkness. For a second nothing happened, then he could feel Jean's fingers curl around the glasses. And they were slowly pulled off his face. Scott brought his hands up to Jean's to stop her.

"What are you doing?" he whispered.

"I want to see things how you do." Jean replied, "Trust me." Scott rolled in his lips and nodded. He dropped his arms to his sides and allowed his world to remain in darkness. He could hear Jean's rustling as she placed the glasses on the bridge of her nose. The moment of silence was more than Scott could take.

"Jean, what is this supposed to…" he started, but before he could finish Jean had shushed him. Her fingers intertwined with his making the darkness seem to brighten somewhat. After a minute her free hand placed the ruby quartz glasses back on his face. Her hand remained on his face and lightly brushed his cheek.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Jean asked lightly. Scott nodded, his stomach lunging into his throat as he could feel her presence grow closer to him. "Everything's just as beautiful." Her breath was minty from the gum she was chewing. Scott opened his eyes to see her only centimeters away from him. She gestured to the canyon and Scott turned his head. The afternoon sun was high in the air but the shade of red from the glasses made it feel like it was sunset. Everything was slightly darker than what everyone else was seeing but it was still peaceful and serene. It may not have been the same but it was still just as good.

He turned back to Jean. Her lips were curved in a pretty smile and her hair was neatly tucked behind her ears. The glasses added a small tint of red to her cheeks. He smiled knowing that he was the only one who would see this view of Jean. So close, so beautiful. Suddenly, the canyon seemed pale in comparison. Scott Summers had finally found a view he liked.


End file.
